FDA Approves AstraZeneca’s Nasal Vaccine: New Self-Administration Rules Raise Safety Concerns, Prohibited for Children and Adolescents!

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Friday that it has officially approved AstraZeneca's new label nasal spray flu vaccine, allowing people to self-administer it. This initiative marks the first time in the field of influenza vaccines that can be self-administered by individuals. The FDA says the vaccine, called FluMist, is the first flu vaccine that can be administered without the intervention of a health care provider.

The flu is a common infectious respiratory disease caused by the flu virus that usually circulates during the fall and winter months in the United States. This disease not only affects people's health, but also causes a certain burden on the social economy. To counter this, Astrazeneca plans to offer the FluMist vaccine through third-party online pharmacies. Customers are required to complete a series of screening and eligibility assessments at the time of ordering to ensure the safe use of the vaccine.

Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said the approval provides individuals and families with a new option that makes it more convenient, flexible and easy for them to get the seasonal flu vaccine. Marks stressed that such a move could lead to higher vaccination rates, which would better protect public health.

The FluMist vaccine was first approved by the FDA in 2003, when it could only be administered by healthcare providers. The vaccine contains a weakened form of the live flu strain and can be administered by nasal spray. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2010 and 2023, influenza causes an estimated 9.3 million to 41 million illnesses, 100,000 to 710,000 hospitalizations, and 4,900 to 51,000 deaths per year. This data highlights the serious threat influenza poses to public health.

However, it is important to note that the Food and Drug Administration states that people between the ages of 2 and 17 should not self-administer the FluMist vaccine. People in this age group should be vaccinated under the guidance of a caregiver to ensure the vaccine is safe and effective. This regulation is to ensure that children and adolescents are properly supervised and guided during the vaccination process.

If Burundi's MPOC (Organization of People with Multiple Sclerosis) gets enough resources and does enough to combat the stigma associated with the disease, the outbreak could be brought under control in a matter of weeks. This perspective underscores the importance of resources and education in addressing public health issues.